


The One Where Shepard Was In The Mafia

by ShootingStar7123



Series: Origins [5]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Assassins & Hitmen, Danger, Dark, F/M, Italian Mafia, Violence, Witness Protection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 02:32:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18356798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShootingStar7123/pseuds/ShootingStar7123
Summary: Part of the "Origins" series, which is about putting a twist on Shepard's canon origins.Earthborn Shepard was never in the Tenth Street Reds—the story was a cover. She was a member of the mafia, who’d since gone into the witness protection program.





	The One Where Shepard Was In The Mafia

**Author's Note:**

> This idea came from the comments! Thanks Doktor- Marceline!

Commander Shepard was a famous name, but no one seemed to know what she looked like. Kaidan couldn’t even pull up a picture of her in the Alliance database. He was able to pull them for every other member of the crew. He’d have his own photo removed if he could—he hated that picture of himself with his hair looking all goofy—but he hadn’t understood that to be an option. Maybe things were different if you were the famed survivor of Akuze.

 

When he first boarded the Normandy, he was woefully unprepared to meet her.

 

He knew who she was immediately, of course. He’d memorized every other face and name on the roster. There was only one person left.

 

She was tall, as tall as he was. Built strong. Scarred. But the scars only seemed to emphasize the handsomeness of her features. Beautiful seemed almost too soft a word for this warrior. But his mind went there anyway. She _was_ beautiful.

 

He might have stumbled a bit over his introduction.

 

_Stupid._

 

If only he’d seen her picture. Then he might have been prepared.

 

…

 

…

 

They were walking through the Citadel when Shepard froze. She stopped, turned, and stared at a vid-screen. The news vids were showing footage from her induction into the spectres. She stood completely still, watching the whole thing. When they cut to a clear shot of her face, she swore.

 

Garrus caught sight of her expression as she turned away, marching towards the embassies. Her face was stern, but her eyes… they were panicked.

 

She left her team outside the door as she went inside. Garrus and Tali eyed each other before Tali pulled out a little piece of tech and stuck it to the door. With a few waves of her omni-tool, she and Garrus heard the conversation inside clearly through their in-ear comms.

 

“—hell happened, Anderson?” Shepard demanded. “I just saw my face on the vids!”

 

“What are you talking about, Shepard?” came the captain’s voice.

 

“My spectre ceremony is on the news. Someone got a clear shot of my face and is blasting it on every news network! The Alliance is supposed to have this locked down!”

 

Tali and Garrus looked at each other. Even through the helmet, Tali radiated confusion. Neither of them had heard her sound so… _hysterical_ before.

 

“There’s literally an office whose job is to keep me out of the press! You must have noticed that in my file! I got through a decade in the military, including Akuze, without compromising my identity. You have no idea what’s been unleashed,” she ranted.

 

“Shepard,” Anderson interrupted. “I’ve just sent a message to HQ. It will be taken care of.”

 

“It’s too late already,” she said darkly. “The vid’s out there. They’ll find me.”

 

“Are you sure it will matter?” Anderson asked. “It’s been over a decade. They’re an Earth-based organization—”

 

“The family doesn’t forget,” she said flatly. “Or forgive.” They heard her release a long, deep sigh. “Just promise me not to investigate too closely if I die mysteriously. It won’t go well.”

 

“Shepard—”

 

“Don’t,” she cut him off. “Just don’t.”

 

At the sound of footsteps moving, Tali quickly took her gadget off the door and slipped it into a pocket in her suit. The door opened a moment later, revealing a tired-looking Shepard.

 

She led them straight back to the docking bay, eyes darting around all the while. Her fingers strayed towards the pistol on her hip more than once. Garrus followed suit, carefully watching for threats. He’d gotten to know Shepard a little, and anything that scared her definitely scared him.

 

It was silent as they waited in the decontamination chamber, and after boarding Shepard went directly to Pressly and started talking about increasing the Normandy’s security. Tali and Garrus took the opportunity to escape back down to the lower level.

 

“What do you think that was about?” Tali asked when they were in the elevator.

 

“I don’t know,” Garrus said. “But I’ve never seen her that worried before.”

 

“She said something about family,” Tali said. “But I thought Shepard grew up without any family.”

 

“ _The_ family,” Garrus corrected her. “She said _the_ family. Not _her_ family.”

 

They fell into silence, both considering and wondering what they’d heard. Garrus’s work on the mako suffered for days in his distraction.

 

…

 

...

 

“What’s got Shepard all worked up?” Joker asked. “She’s been weird since we left the Citadel.”

 

“She said something about the family being after her,” Tali said quietly. “She’s having all the security upgraded.”

 

Joker gave her an odd look. “The family?” he repeated. “Like the _mafia_?”

 

“I don’t know what that is,” Tali said uncertainly.

 

But that was enough. The gossip spread through the ship like a virus, and within days everyone was whispering that Shepard had somehow pissed off the mafia.

 

None of them quite reached the truth that she’d been a part of it, once.

 

…

 

…

 

Shepard walked away, trying to control the trembling that had overtaken her body. The way Finch had said her name. The way he’d said _“Tenth Street Reds”_. As if any of this was real. It told her all she needed to know.

 

The family knew everything. She wasn’t hidden anymore. And they’d decided she was more useful to them alive… for now.

 

She didn’t know if that was better or worse than them trying to kill her.

 

 …

 

…

 

Shepard looked down at Khalisah Al-Jilani, who was crumbled on the floor from her punch.

 

“I don’t do interviews,” she said and pressed a key on her omni-tool.

 

The camera began sparking as she walked away.

 

…

 

…

 

“Tell me about this ‘Cerberus’ organization,” Shepard said, her knee on a scientist’s back. The scientist’s face was pressed into the cold metal floor of the prefab, staring at the bodies of his coworkers.

 

Wrex stood by, looking unconcerned. Garrus watched with interest.

 

“I’ll never tell,” the man said, trembling. “I won’t betray Cerberus!”

 

Shepard sighed, rolling her eyes. “That’s what they all say. But I have ways of making you talk. Do you know what it feels like to have your fingernails peeled back one by one? That’s the first step. Then we can move on to removing your teeth. Then toes, then fingers as I slowly let you bleed out…”

 

“I don’t know anything!” the man broke in, panicking. “I swear! I only know about this project. They offered funding for research that no one else would touch!”

 

“For good reason,” Shepard said sharply. She wrenched his arms further behind his back. “You know that if you lie to me, your next of kin won't be able to identify what's left.”

 

The scientist nodded against the floor, sobbing now. “I’ll tell you everything I know. I swear.”

 

“Good boy.”

 

Later, when she’d finished interrogating him—and ended it with a bullet instead of one of her more creative methods—Wrex finally showed interest in what she’d done.

 

“Didn’t learn that in the Alliance,” he said with a grunt.

 

“No,” she said, sliding a sideways look his direction. “I didn’t.”

 

When Garrus was on Omega, overdosing a red sand trafficker on his own product, this memory came back with clarity. He knew Shepard would understand.

 

…

 

…

 

“So everyone thinks I’m dead?” Shepard asked, staring at Miranda.

 

“You _were_ dead, Shepard,” Miranda said in exasperation. “So yes, everyone still believes that to be true.”

 

Shepard nodded slowly. “So… can we keep it that way?”

 

…

 

…

 

“Commander Shepard?” Thane Krios said, looking curiously at her over the still-bleeding body of Nassana Dantius. “I was offered a contract with your name on it. I did not accept… but someone did.”

 

Shepard crossed her arms. “I’d like to offer you a job, Mr. Krios. Interested in foiling an assassination attempt?” she asked.

 

Weeks later, just as she’d stepped aside to give Garrus his shot, another crack rang out. Pain bloomed from her arm, but she felt only relief. If she hadn’t moved aside in that moment, it might have struck her heart.

 

Garrus and Thane were both on her comm talking over one another. She heard none of it, her head whipping around to search for where the shot had come from. Garrus was beside her in moments, calling for C-Sec, applying medi-gel, and using his large, armored body to shield her from view.

 

Thane’s voice came back on the comm a few short minutes later, telling her the assassin would not trouble her again.

 

“I doubted you, at first,” Garrus said. “When you recruited an assassin. Can’t say I’m not grateful now.”

 

“So am I,” Shepard agreed. “But a public failure? This attempt won’t be the last,” she said darkly.

 

They waited together for C-Sec to arrive. It was easy enough to blame Sidonis’s death on the assassin as well. Shepard didn’t bother to ask Thane how he’d disposed of the body. He could have his secrets as long as he protected hers.

 

…

 

…

 

“Don’t try to contact me while I’m on Earth,” she said, an order even though they were naked in bed.

 

“What?” Garrus asked, nerves starting to creep up on him. “Why?”

 

“The people after me,” she said, and took a deep breath. “I’ll be in Alliance custody. Probably safe. But if they find out I—” _love_ “—care for someone, they might try to hurt you.”

 

“Shepard, I was Archangel. I can take care of myself,” he said stubbornly.

 

“Please do it for my peace of mind,” she said, eyes pleading. “I probably won’t be allowed any outside contact anyhow.”

 

“Just promise me one thing, then,” he said. “That if you _are_ allowed any outside contact, you’ll let me know if you’re okay.”

 

“I can do that,” she said with a nod.

 

He gave her a sideways look. “So, uh… you care about me, huh?”

 

“Of course I do,” she said in exasperation. “Just… don’t forget me while I’m away.” She wouldn’t ask for more, not now, when the future was so uncertain.

 

“I never could,” he said warmly, and pressed his forehead to hers. “But if they hold you down there too long, don’t be surprised to find I’ve gathered the old crowd to break you out.”

 

She laughed. “Give them six months to a year, at least. Bureaucracy moves _slow._ ”

 

“I’ll try,” he said. “But I never was patient.”

 

…

 

…

 

“You’re my security, huh?” she asked, eyeing James Vega up and down. “Are you sure you’re up to it?” He was obviously strong. But did he have a brain under all that brawn?

 

“ _Head_ of your security, actually,” he said, crossing his arms. “I hope you’re not planning on breaking out, Commander.” His voice had taken on a slightly teasing tone.

 

She didn’t take the bait. “I’d be more concerned about those planning to break in if I were you. Make sure you do a thorough read of my file. Wouldn’t want you to miss anything important.”

 

She felt his eyes on her as she turned away and hoped to hell that he’d take her seriously. Her life wasn’t the only one in danger if he didn’t.

 

…

 

…

 

“I fear I won’t be protecting you anymore,” Thane said, staring out the hospital window.

 

“You’ve done more than enough,” she said, grateful for his steadfast aid—and friendship—all this time. “The reapers are a threat to them too. Maybe they’ll let up for a while.”

 

Thane’s lips curled into a small smile. “Or maybe they’ll save their money and hope for the reapers to do the dirty work.”

 

Shepard brightened. “There’s an idea! Do you think they’ll believe it if I die again?”

 

Thane shook his head and let out a small laugh. “You are one of a kind, Siha.”

 

…

 

…

 

Shepard dropped into EDI’s empty copilot seat. “Are you glad to be heading back to Earth?” she asked Joker.

 

The pilot gave a small shrug. “Not like it was my home or anything. I’m glad this will be over soon, though. You?”

 

“Can’t say Earth was good to me,” she admitted. “But yeah, I’m ready to end it.”

 

“So…” Joker tugged his cap, not quite looking at Shepard. “Since this might be our last night alive, will you answer a question?”

 

“Depends on the question,” Shepard said with amusement. “Try me.”

 

He glanced at Shepard. “Are you really on the run from the mafia?”

 

She laughed. “That old rumor from the SR1? Really?”

 

“Come on, Commander,” Joker said, emboldened by her laughter. “It makes sense!”

 

She gave a considering nod. “It does,” she said. “Because it’s true.”

 

“Seriously?!” Joker said, excited now. “No way! How the hell did you get mixed up in that?”

 

“I was a member of the mafia back on Earth,” she confessed. “I ran away from a foster home when I was a kid, ended up with the family. I was useful, good at break ins. They made me good at killing.”

 

“Was it a rival family after you?” he asked.

 

She shook her head. “No. I found something out I wasn’t supposed to.” Her hands gripped the armrests tightly. “They were trafficking _kids_ , Jeff. I couldn’t stand by and be a part of that. So I bided my time, gathered my evidence, and went to the police.”

 

“Holy shit.”

 

“They wanted revenge for what I’d done, so I was put into witness protection. The Alliance was willing to take me despite that. I had a skill set they needed.” She shrugged. “And here we are.”

 

“Yeah,” Joker said breathlessly, looking at her as she casually lounged in his copilot’s seat. “Here we are.”

 

Was it possible he’d actually _underestimated_ Shepard? Joker wasn’t sure. But he’d definitely never do it again.

 

…

 

…

 

The galaxy mourned Commander Shepard.

 

She’d given her life in the line of duty, they said. Given _everything_ to save the galaxy.

 

There was a Jane Doe in a London field hospital who would never tell them otherwise. Some disfiguring scars and poor reconstructive surgery helped maintain the lie.

 

She hacked into the hospital’s communication system to send just one message. A turian in blue armor arrived that very night and didn’t leave until she did.

 

Jane Doe became Jane Vakarian, and the two disappeared to Palaven without a word to anyone. They couldn’t keep their friends from eventually finding them, but they could still hide from the public. Jane’s paranoia had paid off—no one outside the Normandy had known of their relationship. They intended a life of peace and obscurity, and had powerful friends to help keep it that way.

 

When Jane was young, back on Earth, the mafia had called itself her home. Had called itself a family. But now she knew better. She had a _real_ family now, with her turian husband and brothers and sisters of all races scattered across the galaxy.

 

It was good to be home.

 

… 


End file.
